Residential Housing Units

Kate Hoey: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will break down the residential housing units sold by the Commissioners since 2001 by number of bedrooms per unit.

Stuart Bell: This information cannot be provided without consulting a wide range of sources (as demonstrated by my answer to question 34) thus involving a disproportionate amount of staff time.

£5 Notes

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many £5 notes were in circulation in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the merits of replacing the £5 note with a (a) plastic coated note and (b) £5 coin; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The following table provides information on the value of £5 notes in circulation as at end-February in each year over the last ten years and as published in the Bank of England's Annual Report and Accounts.
	
		Value of £5 notes in circulation
		
			  £ billion 
		
		
			 2005 1.055 
			 2004 1.025 
			 2003 1.051 
			 2002 1.044 
			 2001 1.041 
			 2000 1.045 
			 1999 1.111 
			 1998 1.034 
			 1997 1.047 
			 1996 1.067 
		
	
	The current £5 note in issue (featuring Elizabeth Fry) is printed on heavier weight paper than the previous £5 note design and is also the first Bank of England note to be coated with a varnish. This was done to improve the durability of the £5 note, recognising that it is subject to more wear and tear than other denominations.
	The Bank of England is continually investigating ways to improve the quality and quantity of £5 notes in circulation. One option could be to introduce a £5 note printed on a more durable substrate, such as polymer (a type of plastic). A number of factors need to be considered in the selection of an alternative substrate, in particular that it provides acceptable protection against current and likely future counterfeiting threats. At present, the Bank has no plans to change the substrate.
	The Royal Mint, which is responsible for producing and issuing UK coins on behalf of HM Treasury, reviews from time to time the structure of the UK coinage. At present, there is little evidence of any significant public interest for introducing a new £5 circulating coin.

Alcohol-related Deaths

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths in (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire were primarily caused by alcohol in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths in (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire were primarily caused by alcohol. (33808)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2004. The table below shows the numbers of deaths among residents of Tamworth local authority and the current county of Staffordshire where the underlying cause of death indicated a condition directly related to alcohol use in the years 2000 to 2004.
	
		Alcohol-related deaths(1) to usual residents of Tamworth local authority and the current county of Staffordshire(2), registered 2000–04 Number of deaths
		
			  Tamworth Staffordshire 
		
		
			 2000 5 80 
			 2001 4 87 
			 2002 9 104 
			 2003 6 106 
			 2004 9 111 
		
	
	(1) For the year 2000 the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). The codes used by ONS to define alcohol-related deaths are listed below:
	291—Alcoholic psychoses
	303—Alcohol dependence syndrome
	305.0—Non-dependent abuse of alcohol
	425.5—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	571—Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
	E860—Accidental poisoning by alcohol
	For the years 2001–04 the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) was used. To maintain comparability with earlier years the following codes were used:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	142.6—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	K70—Alcoholic liver disease
	K73—Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified
	K74—Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver
	X45—Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause.
	The selection of codes to define alcohol-related deaths is described in: Baker A and Rooney C (2003). Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 17, pp 5–14.
	(2) Data for the county of Staffordshire excludes figures for the unitary authority of Stoke-on-Trent.

Annual Death Rate (Gravesham)

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Gravesham constituency between the ages of (a) 65 to 67, (b) 67 to 70, (c) 70 to 75, (d) 75 to 80 and (e) 80 or above died in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people in the Gravesham Parliamentary Constituency between the ages of (a) 65 to 67, (b) 67 to 70, (c) 70 to 75, (d) 75 to 80 and (e) 80 or above died in each year since 1997. (33606)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2004. The table below shows the numbers of deaths by age, at ages 65 and over, of usual residents of Gravesham Parliamentary Constituency in the years 1997 to 2004.
	
		Deaths of usual residents of Gravesham Parliamentary Constituency by age at death, 1997 to 2004(3) Number of deaths
		
			 Age at death 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 65 to 66 23 32 39 23 27 17 30 25 
			 67 to 69 61 55 49 44 44 50 42 41 
			 70 to 74 113 115 114 117 92 113 111 87 
			 75 to 79 162 150 151 148 137 158 128 133 
			 80 plus 384 420 410 398 365 420 443 409 
		
	
	(3) Deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Average Wage

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average wage in Beverley and Holderness was for (a) men and (b) women in the last period for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 December 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the average wage in Beverley and Holderness was for (a) men (b) women in the last period for which figures are available. (33457)
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	I attach a table showing the Average Gross Weekly Earnings for full time employees in the parliamentary constituency of Beverley and Holderness for 2005. These statistics are also available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=13101.
	The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		Gross weekly pay for full-time employee jobs(4) by place of work £
		
			  Men Women 
			 Beverley and Holderness Median Mean Median Mean 
		
		
			 2004 403.7 473.6 (5)— 357.9 
			 2005 454.2 473.5 268.0 357.7 
		
	
	(4) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.
	(5) Data is suppressed on quality grounds.
	Source:
	Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.
	
		Gross weekly pay for full-time employee jobs(6) by place of residence £
		
			  Men Women 
			 Beverley and Holderness Median Mean Median Mean 
		
		
			 2004 484.5 516.5 399.5 434.2 
		
	
	(6) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.
	Source:
	Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.
	Background Note:
	(a) The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, (ASHE), carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a 1 per cent. sample of all employees.
	(b) Average gross weekly earnings for adult full-time employees whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.
	(c) The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data.

Enterprise Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the evidential basis is for his statement of 14 November in the Financial Times that half of all schools now offer enterprise education and that every school will do so by 2006.

John Healey: Responding to the 2002 Howard Davies report and following an evaluated pathfinder round in 2003–04 and 2004–05, new Department for Education and Skills funding of £60 million a year was rolled out in September 2005, which will support a new focus on "enterprise education in every school" for all key stage 4 pupils. This includes the equivalent of five days' enterprise activity for every pupil (such as running a real, or realistic, business) alongside existing work-related activities like work experience.
	This new funding builds on funding for a third year of the Enterprise Advisors service. Adding the Pathfinder schools of 2003–04 and 2004–05, this means that less than two years since the Davies report, more than 50 per cent. of English secondary schools had Department for Education and Skills or Learning and Skills Council funded interventions on enterprise, preparing for national roll-out in September 2005.

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what training is given to (a) policy officials and (b) lawyers in his Department responsible for drafting statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: All Treasury statutory instruments are drafted by lawyers. Formal training courses, written guidance and on the job training are provided for all lawyers who draft statutory instruments. Draft statutory instruments are checked by at least one lawyer in addition to the draftsman before they are made. Policy officials do not draft Treasury statutory instruments. Training in turning policy into law is provided for policy officials as well as written guidance.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to address the recent criticism from the parliamentary ombudsman that the tax credit system is suffering from "systemic maladministration"; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 31 October 2005
	I refer to my letter to the ombudsman on 29 July, a copy of which can be found on the ombudsman's website. On 26 October, I gave an update to the Treasury Sub-Committee on the improvements that HMRC is making.

Work Force Statistics

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total estimated work force was in (a) Southend, (b) Essex, (c) Hertfordshire, (d) Greater London and (e) England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment. (33654)
	The attached table shows, for the last 10 years, the estimated numbers of persons aged 16 and over in employment who were resident in Southend-on-Sea Unitary Authority, Essex (excluding Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock unitary authorities), Hertfordshire, Greater London and England and Wales. These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Number of people aged 16 and over in employment by area of residence Thousand
		
			 12 months ending Southend-on-Sea UA Essex(8) Hertfordshire London England and Wales 
		
		
			 February  
			 1996 64 578 501 3,008 22,826 
			 1997 67 596 509 3,052 23,102 
			 1998 74 614 501 3,133 23,406 
			 1999 73 612 520 3,200 23,696 
			 2000 76 618 513 3,291 23,938 
			 2001 71 640 535 3,296 24,158 
			 2002 72 650 530 3,380 24,394 
			 2003 73 631 533 3,383 24,491 
			 2004 77 649 539 3,397 24,696 
			   
			 March  
			 2005 79 654 537 3,424 24,894 
		
	
	(8) Note that Essex excludes Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock unitary authorities.

Animal Exhibitions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1830W, on animal exhibitions, how many applications were (a) applied for, (b) granted and (c) refused in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: Exemptions from the provisions of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (as amended), and hence from Directive 1999/22/EC, may be granted under section 14(1)(a) of the 1981 Act. Figures on applications to the Department for such exemptions are provided below for the most recent 12 month period for which they are available (1 November 2004 to 31 October 2005).
	In answer to point (a), nine applications for exemptions under section 14(1)(a) of the 1981 Act have been determined. A further eight such applications have been received and are in the process of being determined.
	In answer to point (b), five exemptions were granted.
	In answer to point (c), four applications for exemptions were refused. Of these, the Department has recommended that three are suitable for a section 14(2) dispensation and one is suitable for a section 14(1)(b) dispensation. These dispensation provisions retain the requirement for the establishment concerned to be licensed under the 1981 Act but provide for reduced regulatory requirements.

Animal Welfare Bill

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will redefine (a) decapod crustaceans and (b) cephalopods as animals to be included in the provisions of the Animal Welfare Bill.

Ben Bradshaw: The definition of an animal for the purposes of the Animal Welfare Bill is limited to non-human vertebrates. This restriction to vertebrates is made on the basis that there is currently insufficient evidence to show conclusively that other types of animals, such as "lobsters/crabs/squids", have the capacity for conscious awareness; a prerequisite for experiencing pain and suffering. However, there are powers within the Bill to extend the definition if future scientific evidence demonstrated that such animals can in fact experience pain and suffering.

Civil Nuclear Facilities

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the possible impact of climate change upon civil nuclear facilities in the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: Safety at nuclear facilities is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NIL). By virtue of the conditions attached to licences granted by the HSE, nuclear site licensees are required to maintain up-to-date safety cases for their sites, which take into account any changes to assumptions made about external hazards, such as the frequency, duration and severity of flooding, extreme temperatures, high winds and other climate change impacts.
	As sites move into decommissioning and periods of care and maintenance which may extend over several decades, HSE will expect licensees to continue to consider the possible impacts of climate change and to identify any actions which they might need to take to ensure the continued safety of their sites.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department.

Jim Knight: The Department has not finalised current best estimates of the cost of using the ID cards scheme to support the services which it oversees.

After-school Clubs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she (a) is taking, and (b) plans to take to allow schools to run after-school clubs on their premises; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Many schools already provide a good range of after school clubs on their premises. The Education Act 2002 gave school governing bodies the power to provide community facilities on school premises which will enable those clubs to develop into formal child care offers where there is parental demand for those services.
	The Government want all schools to provide access to extended services, including child care, a varied menu of study support, and before and after school clubs, by 2010, with half of all primaries and a third of all secondaries doing so by 2008.
	To support schools in setting up and embedding extended services, we have committed £840 million up to 2008. These funds can be used flexibly to help address any practical issues that schools may be facing to develop extended services.
	We have also asked the National Remodelling Team (NRT) within the Teacher Development Agency, working with voluntary sector partners such as Continyou and 4Children to support LAs and schools nationally as they implement extended services.

Autism (Funding)

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether guidelines will be published for local education authorities on funding for pupils with autism through (a) elective home learning, (b) dedicated autism-specific units within special schools and (c) adapted general provision within special schools.

Maria Eagle: We have no plans to publish such guidelines.
	It is for local authorities to decide how to deploy the funds available to them to meet the needs of children with special educational needs (SEN), including those children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). Budgeted expenditure by local authorities on meeting children's SEN in 2005–06 is £4.1 billion, some 13 per cent. of all education spending. In 2004 the Department published guidance "The management of SEN expenditure" providing information and suggested approaches to managing this expenditure. In 2002 the Department, with the Department of Health, published Good Practice Guidance on ASDs which gave pointers to good practice, including pointers on funding and home-based provision.
	Local authorities have a duty to keep their arrangements for special educational provision under review and it is for them to take decisions about SEN provision in their schools, in consultation with the schools including special schools, and fund that provision appropriately. Funding for individual pupils with autism in special schools is through their SEN statements, which set out their needs and the provision required to meet those needs.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list departmental projects conducted by consultants in each year since 2000; what the cost was in each case; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in each year.

Maria Eagle: No projects have been conducted by consultants for the Department for Education and skills in the years since 2000.
	With regard to the total cost of employing consultants in the years since 2000, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2057W, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families on 23 June 2005, Official Report, column 1168W.

Departmental Report

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the programmes aggregated as Other Miscellaneous programmes in each section of table 12.2 of her Department's 2005 departmental report.

Bill Rammell: The Miscellaneous Programmes in table 12.2 of the Department for Education and Skills 2005 departmental report are listed in more details as follows.
	Schools
	Physical Education and Sport
	City Technology Colleges
	Targeted Improvement Grant/Excellence in Cities
	School Enterprise Initiative
	Education Action Zones
	Key Stage Central Departmental Initiatives
	Other Programmes to Support Secondary Education
	Teaching and learning/Gifted and Talented Pupils
	Modern Foreign Languages
	Inclusion Programmes (including Behaviour and Aim Higher)
	Music and Ballet Scheme
	British Education Communications and Technology Agency
	Premature Retirement Compensation for Teachers in Voluntary Colleges
	Innovations Fund
	Teachers Pensions—Contractual Costs
	Licensing for School Activities, School Performance and Accountability—Assessment team
	Assisted Places Scheme
	Research on School Performance
	Energy Savings Trust and Learning Through Landscapes
	ICT Development and Evaluation
	Teachers' Medical Fees
	Higher Education
	Student Support Contingency Reserve
	Aim Higher
	Foundation Degree Marketing
	European University Institute Bursaries
	Student Loans Debt Sale Adjustment
	Support for Children, Young People and Families
	Extended Schools
	Vulnerable Children Grant
	Parenting Fund and Activities Supporting Parenting
	Family Fund Trust
	Youth Related Activities
	Special Educational Needs including support for Early Years, Communities Aid Project, Disability Tribunal and Non-maintained Special Schools
	Change Fund
	Teenage Pregnancy
	Information Sharing and Assessment
	Disabled Access: Youth Service
	Communication Unit
	Local Authority Capacity and Intervention
	DirectGov
	Section 64 Grant to Voluntary Sector
	Children's Commissioner
	Publicity
	Participation Fund
	Adoption Services
	Invest to Save Funded Children's Agenda Programmes
	Child Contract Centres
	Child Protection Co-ordinators
	Quality Protects Regional Development Fund
	Further Education, Adult Learning, Skills and Lifelong Learning
	FE Teach Learn Train Bursary
	Student Support
	International Education Programmes
	International Labour Organisation Subscription
	Management Information Across Partners
	Bridging Allowance for 16 to 19-year-olds
	Activities to Support all Functions
	E-portals

Further Education

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2005, Official Report, columns 817–8W, on further education, how the categories and figures given relate to the categories and figures in Annex B of the Learning and Skills Council Grant letter for funded institutions.

Bill Rammell: In the LSC Grant letter for 2006–07 the resources for (i) the Learner Support Fund, (ii) Care to Learn, (iii) Dance and Drama Awards, (iv) Adult Learning Grant and (v) Career Development Loans are all included in the Learner Support Funds line of Block B. The education maintenance allowance resources make up Block E.

Maladministration

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many payments for maladministration have been made by (a) her Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-departmental public bodies and (d) other bodies for which her Department has responsibility in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: It is the policy of the Department for Education and Skills, its non-departmental public bodies and its sponsored organisations to make financial redress in accordance with the guidance set out in Chapter 18.7 and Annexes 18.1 and 18.2 of "Government Accounting."
	However, the information you requested is not held centrally by the Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Teacher Vacancies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time teacher vacancies there are in (i) secondary, (ii) primary and (iii) special schools in Southend; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The following table provides the number of full and part-time teacher vacancies in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Southend local authority in January 2005, the latest information available.
	
		Number of full-time and part-time vacancies(18) in maintained nursery and primary, secondary and special schools in Southend, January 2005
		
			  Full-time Part-time 
		
		
			 Nursery/primary 7 0 
			 Secondary 11 5 
			 Special 0 0 
		
	
	(18) Advertised vacancies for full and part-time permanent appointments (or appointments of a least one term's duration). Excludes vacancies filled by a teacher on a contract of a term or more.
	Source:
	DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies (Form 618G).
	The hon. Member may wish to know that I am today publishing my response to the fifteenth report of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB). Copies are available in the Vote Office and in the Library of the House of Lords and at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk.
	In making its recommendations, the STRB was required to have regard to the matters set out in the remit letter of 10 March 2005, which included, among other matters, the need to have regard to the enhancement of recruitment and retention. The fifteenth STRB report deals with some very important matters affecting teachers' pay, including the pay award from 2006–08, and I am most grateful for the careful and detailed attention the STRB has given to these matters. The STRB recommendations are set out followed in each case by my response.
	I am seeking consultation comments on the report and my response by 10 January 2006.
	Pay Award
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend:
	an increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2006 and a further increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2007 in the values of the leadership group pay scale;
	an increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2006 and a further increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2007 in the values of the main pay scale and upper pay scale for qualified teachers, the pay scale for unqualified teachers and the new 18 point pay scale for Advanced Skills Teachers;
	a slightly enhanced pay increase for certain points on the main pay scale in bands A and B, as outlined in Appendix C; and
	that should the average rate of headline inflation for the 12 months preceding April 2007 (i.e. April 2006 to March 2007) or April 2008 (i.e. April 2007 to March 2008) fall below 1.75 per cent. or exceed 3.25 per cent., any of the consultees can ask the STRB to consider the case for seeking a remit from the Secretary of State of State to review teachers' pay.
	This is a central recommendation, which is key in terms of recruitment to and retention in the teaching profession as well as its impact on schools' budgets. It is of crucial importance that the significant investment this Government has made in public sector pay in general and in the pay of teachers in particular continues to produce dividends. We must be confident that any further increases can be justified and afforded.
	An award of 2.5 per cent. could not be considered acceptable on the basis that it represented anticipated inflation over the period to which the pay award relates, or that an award at this level is necessary to protect teachers from a real terms pay cut. In its latest Inflation Report, the Bank of England forecasts CPI inflation to fall to just below the 2 per cent. target next year and then to be close to the 2 per cent. target in subsequent years.
	However, it is clear from the report that the STRB has given close consideration to a range of evidence relating to the overall labour market position of teachers and has reached a balanced judgment as to a suitable level of award for the next period, taking into account both appropriateness and affordability. In particular, the STRB has noted its concerns about the need to ensure a continuing supply of high quality teachers, consolidating the improvements made in recruiting and retaining good teachers at a time of change, and some emerging evidence of recruitment and retention issues in relation to specific groups of teachers.
	In the light of this analysis, I propose to accept the recommendation for teachers, including the slightly enhanced increase for teachers at certain points on the main scale in Inner and Outer London. I also accept the STRB's argument regarding leadership group pay and agree that the same rise for this group is appropriate.
	I also accept the basis of the review mechanism as set out above.
	Leadership Group
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend:
	that the Secretary of State remit us to look fundamentally at the leadership group and how its changing role and responsibilities should be reflected in its future pay structure;
	to provide a sound evidence base for that remit, that a comprehensive independent study be carried out by December 2006 on the roles, responsibilities, structures and reward systems for the leadership group, looking at both current practice and likely future developments, and including at least the following issues:
	new models of headship;
	the role and functions of deputy and assistant heads;
	administrative support;
	recruitment planning;
	type of contract; and
	reward.
	I very much welcome the STRB's recommendation for an independent study into the developing roles and responsibilities of the leadership group. This is very timely given the need for schools to respond effectively to Government priorities in England such as greater personalisation, extended schools, Every Child Matters and the 14 to 19 agenda, and to initiatives in these and other areas in Wales. Schools will need to become more outward facing, more flexible and, as we have set out in the Schools White Paper for England, work far more collaboratively with others, including parents, if we are to make the next step change in raising attainment and opening opportunities. I want to make sure that we can support our leadership teams effectively and have the right people in place to take forward these changes. For this reason I will wish to explore with partners the extent to which the terms of reference for such a review should not only encompass but also go further than those outlined by the STRB. I will also wish to consider the arrangements for handling the review, including whether the proposed timetable is appropriate, or whether it should be run in parallel with a general review of teachers' duties.
	Excellent Teacher Scheme (ETS)
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend that:
	the Excellent Teacher Scheme be reviewed by December 2008 at the latest and that the results of the review be remitted to this Review Body for appropriate consideration and recommendation;
	the salary for the ETS to be a spot salary, as previously recommended;
	the spot salary be determined by individual schools and services within an ETS salary range;
	the ETS salary range from September 2006 be £35,000 to £45,000 in pay bands B to D, and extend additionally to £50,000 in pay band A;
	the minimum and maximum of the ETS salary range and ETS spot salaries determined prior to September 2007 be increased by 2.5 per cent. in September 2007.
	The remit to the STRB invited it to make recommendations on what the appropriate spot salary for Excellent Teachers should be in the respective pay regions, following the recommendations in its Fourteenth Report. I am grateful to the STRB for its advice.
	The Excellent Teacher Scheme is a welcome career pathway for teachers who are excellent classroom practitioners and is an important addition to the teacher's career structure, to which I remain committed. The STRB has suggested that the Excellent Teacher scheme should be reviewed by December 2008.1 believe it would be helpful to keep the scheme under review but that it would be most helpful to do so in the context of our wider plans for a new teacher professionalism and the development of the career structure of the profession as a whole. I will give further thought to the arrangements and timing.
	The STRB has made a number of recommendations about the salary for Excellent Teachers. The first Excellent Teachers will be appointed from September 2006 and schools are already considering whether to include Excellent Teacher posts in their staffing structures and how many Excellent Teacher posts they need. It is important that schools have a clear understanding about the potential salary implications of Excellent Teacher posts so they can plan effectively; that the arrangements for determining Excellent Teacher salaries are unambiguous and can be implemented effectively; and that the approach to Excellent Teacher salaries is consistent with our approach to teachers' pay more generally.
	In the light of these considerations, I propose to defer introduction of the salary ranges proposed by the STRB until September 2008. I propose that in the interim there should be a single salary rate for each pay region for those holding excellent teacher posts. The level of these salaries should be those proposed by the STRB in its Fourteenth Report, increased in line with the general increases to teachers' pay scales. I believe that this approach will give schools the early clarity they will need to help with the introduction of ETS posts. It will also allow us the opportunity to develop the guidance they will need to help introduce the greater flexibility which the STRB proposes—and which in principle I welcome—in the light of our ongoing review of the operation of the scheme and of further work to be done on standards and duties for the profession as a whole.
	Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) Payments
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend:
	an increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2006 and a further increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2007 in the minimum and maximum of the two TLR ranges;
	an increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2006 and a further increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2007 in the value of individual teachers' TLR payments.
	I welcome these recommendations, which will enable all those receiving TLRs over this period, at whatever level in the relevant ranges those TLRs have been set locally, to receive the same percentage uplift.
	Special Educational Needs (SEN) Allowances
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend:
	an increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2006 and a further increase of 2.5 per cent. from September 2007 in the value of SEN allowances;
	that the Department draw up guidance, in consultation with all interested parties, including BATOD, on how the payment of higher-level SEN allowances might take account of the enhancement of the teaching of SEN pupils brought about by specialist qualifications.
	I welcome the recommended application of the same percentage uplift to SEN allowances as to the other parts of the pay system. I note that the STRB has repeated its recommendation about guidance on specialist qualifications, which was made in 2004 and which was put on hold pending the review of the management allowance system. I am content that this matter should now be discussed with relevant parties.
	Unattached Teachers
	We recommend that:
	the Department investigate the pay and conditions of unattached teachers (including such teachers in the leadership group) in comparison with other teachers. The investigation should be completed in time to inform our next review of teachers' pay.
	The STRB has taken the view that that the pay and conditions of unattached teachers need investigation, because of concerns that unattached teachers do not progress as quickly as other teachers. I recognise this concern and agree that an investigation would be helpful. I propose therefore to arrange such an investigation in the course of 2006.
	Part Time Teachers
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend that:
	the Department undertake further work in association with interested parties to consider the issues in standardising pay and conditions for part time teachers and identify possible solutions;
	the conclusions of this work come back to this Review Body for consideration and recommendation.
	I welcome the STRB's consideration of the issues facing part time teachers; and note its recommendation that further work should be undertaken on this. I will want to consider, with partners, the most effective way of undertaking this work.
	Teachers' Professional Development and Pay Progression
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend that:
	the outcomes of teachers' CPD and, if appropriate, their contribution to others' development, be taken into account as part of a range of evidence when schools assess performance for pay progression purposes; and
	the Department require schools and services to include details in their pay policy about how performance is assessed for pay purposes and how different factors, including the outcomes of CPD and contribution to others' development, are taken into account.
	I welcome the STRB's recommendation that the outcomes of teachers' CPD should be taken into account as part of a range of evidence when schools assess performance for pay progression purposes. I want all teachers to be engaged in effective, sustained and relevant professional development throughout their careers. CPD should not be a "bolt-on", short-term experience or narrowly defined as "going on courses" but a continuous planned series of activities designed to improved a teacher's knowledge and skills. Some of the most effective professional development is teachers learning from other teachers in the classroom and I want all teachers to be able to benefit from and contribute to coaching and mentoring as they progress in their careers as part of their professional development. I believe the approach recommended by the STRB will help to incentivise, recognise and reward teachers' participation in effective CPD and help to ensure that the professional development activities are planned and evaluated in schools.
	It is important that the arrangements for reflecting assessments of performance in decisions about pay are fair and transparent and can operate effectively at school level without being onerous. I strongly agree that details about how schools and services will assess performance for pay purposes should be included in their pay policy, though I have reservations about introducing a requirement. I will therefore want to give further thought to how best to support this, and invite further views.
	Teachers' Professional Responsibilities
	The STRB has recommended the following:
	We recommend that:
	consultees consider the fundamental question of whether a description of teachers' professional role and responsibilities is needed (specifically whether it is needed in the STPCD), and present us with their written evidence and views by the end of August 2006.
	I am grateful to the STRB for its advice. I accept the STRB's recommendation that consultees should consider the fundamental question of whether a description of teachers' professional role and responsibilities is needed. The current approach of describing professional duties in the STPCD is intended to provide a national framework for local decision-making and to help to clarify the range of responsibilities that are appropriate to different roles. I invite comments on whether it is appropriate to move away from the current approach of describing professional duties in the STPCD at this stage.
	I also believe that there is a need to review the description of teachers' professional duties provided in the STPCD to reflect the recent changes in school and the role of the profession in the 21st century and that further thought should be given to this. I intend to discuss how this can be taken forward with partners.
	Pay of Advanced Skills Teachers in Mathematics and Science in Secondary Schools
	I note that the STRB has not made any recommendation in relation to the remit request that they consider if any changes should be made to the pay of mathematics and science ASTs in secondary schools. However, in noting this I maintain that there are very strong reasons for continuing to pursue the objective behind the remit which was to raise both the quantity and the quality of graduates in these subjects entering and remaining in the teaching profession. Also, I would not wish this to constrain the use of such a focused approach to the determination of pay in the future in appropriate circumstances.
	Pay arrangements for Fast Track teachers
	I note that the STRB has not made any recommendation in relation to the remit request to recommend whether any modifications are required to the pay arrangements of Fast Track teachers. I agree with the suggestion that we continue to encourage Fast Track teachers to undertake at least one post in a challenging school, but how to recognise the leadership impact of Fast Track teachers, and the way in which this can help to raise standards in our schools, remains an important objective for us.
	Pay of Teachers in Challenging Schools
	Finally, I note that the STRB has not made any recommendation in relation to the remit request that they consider other factors which should be taken into account in determining career and pay progression, specifically accelerated pay progression for teachers working in more challenging circumstances. The STRB highlighted the need for schools to make greater use of the flexibilities already in the pay system. This matter remains a significant concern and I will want to consider whether more can be done to raise awareness of the flexibilities provided by the current provisions and how they could be applied in this context.

Council Tax

David Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much council tax must be paid by owners of dwellings that are empty after a year; and who sets that level.

Phil Woolas: The council tax discount can be set on second homes at any point between 50 per cent. and 10 per cent. and on long-term empty homes at any point between 50 per cent. and zero. Second homes are homes which are furnished and no-one's main residence, while long-term empty homes are homes which are substantially unfurnished and in general have been unoccupied for at least six months (a substantially unfurnished unoccupied home is generally exempt from council tax for up to six months).
	Local billing authorities are responsible for setting the council tax discount on second and long-term empty homes.

Local Government Finance

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of spending by (a) Northumberland county council, (b) Tynedale district council and (c) Castle Morpeth borough council has been financed from council tax in each year since 16 January 1996.

Phil Woolas: The percentage of Revenue Expenditure by Northumberland county council, Tynedale district council and Castle Morpeth borough council that has been financed from council tax in each financial year since 1996–97 is tabled as follows.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Northumberland county council Tynedale district council Castle Morpeth borough council 
		
		
			 1996–97 23.0 38.8 38.8 
			 1997–98 25.0 44.4 43.7 
			 1998–99 27.5 43.9 45.0 
			 1999–2000 28.4 39.4 47.1 
			 2000–01 28.7 45.3 46.2 
			 2001–02 27.7 43.8 43.4 
			 2002–03 29.2 44.8 54.0 
			 2003–04 28.9 41.3 55.3 
			 2004–05 29.7 48.3 57.6 
			 2005–06 29.2 49.7 60.0 
		
	
	The data are as reported by local authorities and are taken from Revenue Summary (RS) returns for 1996–97 to 2003–04, and Revenue Account budget (RA) returns for 2004–05 and 2005–06.
	The definition of council expenditure used here is that expenditure funded from Aggregate External Finance (AEF), council tax and authorities' reserves.
	Comparisons across years may not be valid due to changes in the method of reporting the information. In particular, the outturn data for 1996–97 to 2002–03 have been calculated on a non-FRS (Financial Reporting Standard) 17 basis while the outturn data for 2003–04 has been calculated on an FRS 17 basis. The budget data for 2004–05 and 2005–06 are a mix of FRS 17 and non-FRS 17. This is because for their 2004–05 and 2005–06 budget forms local authorities, after consultation, were given the option to complete their forms either on a non-FRS 17 basis or on an FRS 17 basis. Hence, figures for different years may not be directly comparable.

Neighbourhood Wardens

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what statutory powers community and neighbourhood wardens have to deal with incidents of crime and disorder.

Phil Woolas: Warden schemes may use local authority powers to issue fixed penalty notices for offences such as dog fouling, littering and parking violations. These powers are largely derived from the Environment Protection Act 1990, the Dogs Act 1996, and other local byelaws.
	The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme provides powers to accredited persons, such as wardens. A list of these powers is as follows:
	Powers that may be designated to accredited persons by a chief officer of police:
	Power to require name and address
	Power to deal with begging
	Power to require name and address for antisocial behaviour
	Power to require name and address for road traffic offences
	Power to require persons drinking in designated places to surrender alcohol
	Power to require persons aged under 18 to surrender alcohol
	Power to seize tobacco from a person under 16
	Power to remove abandoned vehicles
	Power to stop vehicles for testing
	Power to stop cycles
	Power to direct traffic for purposes other than escorting an abnormal load
	Power to direct traffic for the purpose of escorting abnormal loads
	Powers to issue fixed penalty notices for:
	Truancy
	Cycling on a footpath
	Graffiti and fly-posting
	Littering
	Power to issue Penalty Notices for Disorder under Chapter 1 Part 1 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act:
	Sale of alcohol to a person under 18
	Purchase of alcohol for a person under 18
	Delivery of alcohol to a person under 18 or allowing such delivery
	Breach of fireworks curfew
	Possession of a category 4 firework
	Possession by a person under 18 of an adult firework
	Supply of excessively loud fireworks
	Wasting police time, giving false report
	Using public electronic communications network in order to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety
	Knowingly giving false alarm to a person acting on behalf of a fire and rescue authority
	Causing harassment, alarm or distress
	Throwing fireworks
	Consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 or allowing such consumption
	Trespassing on a railway
	Throwing stones at a train
	Drinking in a designated public area.

Merseytravel

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Merseytravel's record on project delivery across all forms of public transport.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 1 December 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 146W.

Human Rights (Iraq)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Solicitor-General what correspondence the Attorney-General has had with Mr. Phil Shiner regarding human rights cases against British forces in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Mr. Phil Shiner has written to the Attorney-General raising a number of issues concerning British forces in Iraq. The Attorney-General's officials have replied to Mr. Shiner, advising him that if he has any evidence of potential criminal offences he should bring it to the attention of the prosecuting authorities, and that he should direct to the Ministry of Defence other issues he might have about the conduct and training of the armed forces.

Dangerous Driving

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to change the law relating to the causing of death by bad driving.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have tabled amendments to the current Road Safety Bill that take forward a number of proposals arising from the Review of Road Traffic Offences involving Bad Driving consultation exercise.
	These proposals include a new offence of causing death by careless driving; a new offence where an unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured driver causes a fatal accident and provision for alternative verdicts where a manslaughter charge or culpable homicide charge has failed.

Asylum/Immigration

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will review the regulation that prevents asylum seekers from securing employment in the UK;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the merits of allowing asylum seekers to take paid work in the UK.

Tony McNulty: The Government keep their immigration and asylum policies under review. Our current assessment is that it would not be right to routinely allow asylum seekers access to paid employment. The immigration rules make clear that asylum seekers may seek permission to work if their claim for asylum remains outstanding for longer than 12 months without an initial decision being made on it and providing the reason for the delay cannot be attributed to the applicant.
	We do encourage asylum seekers to undertake voluntary work while their claim for asylum is being assessed.

Asylum/Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of illegal immigrants living in the UK.

Tony McNulty: Although it is impossible to determine accurately how many people are in the UK illegally, the Home Office published a report which included an estimate of the size of the illegal migrant population in the UK in 2001. A copy of the RDS On-line report 29/05 Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom in 2001 can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/notes/june_summaries. htmlrdsolr2905.

Asylum/Immigration

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average escorting contract price was for inter-detention estate transfers of immigration detainees in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The contract price for in country escorts is inclusive and covers all required escort movements for immigration detainees including inter-detention estate transfers.
	Under the existing contract arrangement the average price of an escorted movement is 119.50.

Departmental Estate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the maintenance of the Home Office's Marsham Street office (a) gardens and (b) water features since relocation.

Charles Clarke: This is the responsibility of the facilities sub-contractor to Annes Gate Property plc the PFI Service Provider. AGP are unable to confirm the precise amount that has been spent on maintenance of the gardens and water feature by the sub-contractor but as a guide have indicated it is probably in the region of 40,000 since 26 January 2005.

Departmental Policies

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Gateshead East and Washington West constituency, the effects in Gateshead East and Washington West of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The Government has put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the constituency.
	Between March 1997 and March 2005 the number of police officers in the Northumbria Police Force increased by 411 from 3,677 to 4,088. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 104 CSOs on Northumbria's streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.
	Northumbria Police will receive 232.2 million in general grants for 200506, an increase of 4.87 per cent. (10.81 million) over last year. General grants funding to Northumbria has increased by 33.7 per cent. between 199798 and 200506. In addition to general grants, Northumbria will also receive around 20.36 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 200506. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a 340 million intervention programme running for three years from April 1999. Figures are not available for constituency or local level. In Gateshead a total of 14 antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been issued and in Sunderland a total of 29 ASBOs have been issued as of 31 March 2005. (The latest figures available).
	
		
			  
			 Scheme/area 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Small retailers in deprived areas  
			 Gateshead CDRP 27,845 24,000 24,000   
			 Sunderland CDRP 35,856 35,000 35,000   
			   
			 Communities against drugs  
			 Gateshead CDRP 189,400 189,400
			 Sunderland CDRP 278,600 278,600
			   
			 Safer communities initiative  
			 Gateshead CDRP  72,362
			 Sunderland CDRP  102,884
			   
			 Building safer communities fund(21)  
			 Gateshead CDRP   269,920 276,668 276,668 
			 Sunderland CDRP   393,444 403,280 403,280 
			   
			 Basic command unit fund(22)  
			 Gateshead West   87,784 87,784 87,784 
			 Gateshead East   127,177 127,177 127,177 
			 Sunderland City   154,546 154,546 154,546 
			 Sunderland West   83,776 83,776 83,776 
			   
			 Partnership development fund(23)  
			 North East Region (24)1.235 (24)1.13
			   
			 Home Office regional directors' allocation (HORDs)3   
			 North East Region   724,900 724,900 724,900 
		
	
	(21) In the years 200405 and 200506 the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships received an additional 25,000 for ASB coordinator.
	(22) Figures for constituency level.
	(23) Figures for NE Region, not available for CDRP or constituency.
	(24) Million.
	
		Table 1: number of offences recorded1997(25)
		
			  1997 
		
		
			 Gateshead CDRP:  
			 Domestic burglary n/a 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 
			   
			 Sunderland CDRP:  
			 Domestic burglary n/a 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 
			   
			 Northumbria police force:  
			 Domestic burglary 17,113 
			 Theft of a vehicle 13,703 
			 Theft from a vehicle 18,635 
		
	
	(25) The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2: number of offences recorded199899 to 200102(26)
		
			  199899(27) 19992000(28) 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Gateshead CDRP: 
			 Domestic burglary n/a 1,945 1,705 1,946 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 1,952 1,703 1,375 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 2,743 2,766 2,239 
			  
			 Sunderland CDRP: 
			 Domestic burglary n/a 3,311 3,017 2,982 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 3,503 2,671 2,593 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 4,030 3,023 3,362 
			  
			 Northumbria police force:   
			 Domestic burglary 15,334 12,539 11,381 11,250 
			 Theft of a vehicle 12,498 10,395 8,693 7,837 
			 Theft from a vehicle 16,918 15,804 13,662 12,571 
		
	
	(26) The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	(27) The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 199899. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997.
	(28) Recorded crime figures for CDRPs were collected for the first time for the 12 months to March 2000.
	
		Table 3: number of offences recorded200203 to 200405
		
			 Offence 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Gateshead CDRP:
			 Domestic burglary 1,685 1,733 996 
			 Theft of a vehicle 1,158 1,029 754 
			 Theft from a vehicle 1,996 1,881 1,723 
			 
			 Sunderland CDRP:
			 Domestic burglary 2,962 2,369 1,910 
			 Theft of a vehicle 2,128 1,941 1,496 
			 Theft from a vehicle 3,472 2,661 2,126 
			 
			 Northumbria police force:
			 Domestic burglary 11,179 10,223 7,897 
			 Theft of a vehicle 6,981 6,445 5,189 
			 Theft from a vehicle 13,283 11,644 10,836 
		
	
	Note:
	The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Departmental Targets

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the first Voluntary and Community Activity Index data to be published, as required by 2004 Public Service Agreement number 6.

Charles Clarke: The State of the Sector Panel was introduced in the SR02 Public Service Agreement (PSA) set to measure progress against the then PSA8. The 200203 Baseline was published in the Home Office Targets Autumn Performance Report 2004 Cm 6423 published in December 2004 and this is available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/ho-targets-autumn-report-04?version=1

Environmental Sustainability

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all (a) copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.

Charles Clarke: The quick wins targets were introduced on 1 November 2003 by the inter-departmental Sustainable Procurement Group. From this date all government departments' contracts were expected to apply the minimum environmental standards when purchasing certain types of product and services including paper.
	It has been recommended that the purchase of recycled paper products is phased in over a period of time and targets will be developed as part of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. The Home Office will work with its current suppliers in order to meet these targets. The department's current three-year stationery contract to supply paper and paper products as well as other stationery products was awarded prior to 1 November, in September 2003. This followed a competitive tender exercise in line with Home Office policy that the procurement of goods and services is based on value for money principles. The provision of recycled paper is part of the agreed contract with Office depot.
	In June 2002 the Home Office mandated all offices within the Department to use A4 recycled paper which has an 80 per cent. unspecified recycled paper content in photocopiers, fax machines and printers, unless technical reasons precluded them from using this paper. The Prison Service mandated the use of the same A4 recycled paper from September 2003 and following successful trials are also procuring only A3 recycled paper.
	The Home Office makes use of various stocks of paper/board in our publications. Most of our internal facing material is printed on recycled paper and all of these are at least 60 per cent. recycled with a content of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. The majority of our external facing work is printed on totally chlorine free paper/board. Although this is not made from recycled pulp, this is 'environmentally friendly' because the pulp is bleached without the use of chlorine chemicals.

Environmental Sustainability

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made (a) of the environmental impact and (b) against sustainable development criteria of the bids made for contracts awarded by his Department; who makes such an assessment; and whether these assessments are published.

Charles Clarke: The Home Department does not hold this information centrally and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Advice on the opportunities for integrating environmental and sustainability issues in assessment during procurement is published in OGC/DEFRA guidance Environmental Issues in Purchasing (www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?id=400'). Additional Home Office internal advice has been issued for use by procurement and project teams via procurement bulletins. Where appropriate assessments against both environmental impact and sustainable development criteria for bids made for contracts are carried out on a case by case basis. Environmental impact assessments and criteria for sustainable development are set and evaluated by the project team. These assessments are not published.

Equality and Diversity

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1254W, on equality and diversity, how many members of staff (a) are estimated to have to have taken part in Diversity Week events in each of the past three years and (b) in (i) his Department, (ii) the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and (iii) the Prison Service attended compulsory diversity awareness training in 2005.

Charles Clarke: The figures are as follows:
	For the Diversity Week the Core Home Office attendance in 2005 was approximately 360. No records were kept for 200304. For the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) in 2005approximately 1,950, 2004approximately 1,680 and 2003approximately 960. For Prison Service from 200305, Diversity Week was celebrated in a number of prison establishments, where events were attended by prison staff and prisoners. No records of the numbers of prison staff or prisoners involved were kept.
	The Diversity Awareness training attendance up to November 2005 has been Core Home Office 663, IND 4920, Prison Serviceapproximately 9,820.

Equality and Diversity

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1254W on equality and diversity, how much was spent on (a) compulsory diversity training in 2005, (b) launching the Development Plus programme, (c) testing for inappropriate behaviour during the 2005 senior management exercises, (d) Diversity week in each of the last three years and (e) networks supporting (i) black and ethnic minority, (ii) disabled, (iii) lesbian, gay and bisexual and (iv) transgendered and transsexual members of staff in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Charles Clarke: The information requested is as follows:
	
		(a) Expenditure on compulsory diversity training in 2005
		
			   
		
		
			 Core Home Office 198,871 
			 IND 608,200 
			 Prison Service (30) 
		
	
	(30) This information is not centrally collected.
	(b) No money was spent on launching the Development Plus programme.
	(c) Testing for inappropriate behaviour during the 2005 senior management assessment centres12,915.
	
		(d) Cost of Diversity week
		
			   
		
		
			 Core Home Office  
			 2005 8,489 
			 2004 5,668 
			 2003 2,686 
			   
			 IND  
			 2005 22,000 
			 2004 5,000 
			 2003 3,000 
			 Prison Service  
			 200405 (31) 
			 2003 (32)33,593 
		
	
	(31) No records were kept.
	(32) This covered events in central London and prison establishments. Staff from the Core Home Office and IND were also invited to attend.
	(e) The Core Home Office funds three staff support networks: The Network (set up in 1999) which supports black and ethnic minority staff; HODS (set up in 2002) which supports disabled staff; and, SPECTRUM (set up in 2003) which supports lesbian, gay bisexual and transsexual and transgender staff. Details of the networks' expenditure since their formation is shown as follows:
	
		Staff support networks expenditure 000
		
			  200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 The Network 275 420 291 418 476 
			 HODS62 192 
			 SPECTRUM14 99 
		
	
	The Prison Service RESECT staff support network for black and minority ethnic staff received 400,000, 453,000 and 394,000 in financial years 200203, 200304, 200405 respectively. The Prison Service GALIPS staff support network (established in July 2004) for lesbian, gay bisexual and transsexual and transgender staff received 145,000 of funding in financial years 200405 and 200506.

Equality and Diversity

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1254W, on equality and diversity, how much his Department spent on positive action training for (a) women, (b) black and minority ethnic staff and (c) disabled staff in 2001; how many members of staff attended this training; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (i) positive action training in 2001 and (ii) diversity awareness training in 200001.

Charles Clarke: The cost of positive action training in 200102 was approximately 60,000. This included research, design, development, course delivery and evaluation.
	52 women, black and ethnic minority staff and disabled staff attended the programme.
	The aim of positive action training was to increase the confidence and skills of under-represented groups to compete successfully for posts at the next level. Evaluation of feedback from 34 attendees 12 months on found that 12 had already been promoted and the majority had grown in confidence.
	As part of a review of the diversity awareness training in 200001, 107 managers completed questionnaires and 96.2 per cent. agreed that as a result of attending the training they had a better understanding of the relevance and importance of diversity in effective team working.

Female Prisoners (Literacy)

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he is planning to have with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about improving the literacy of female prisoners.

Fiona Mactaggart: I discuss matters relating to learning and skills for all offenders on a regular basis with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. Recently our discussions have focused on the matters to be set out in the forthcoming Green Paper Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Employment, which will include material relating to the needs of female offenders delivered through our new Offender Learning and Skills Service.

Festivals

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005.

Paul Goggins: The Home Office hosted an Eid/Diwali celebration on 14 November 2005 which was attended by 200 guests from the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities as well as representatives from other faith groups. An internal staff event was held on 8 November. The Home Office also made staff aware of a number of external events including the Civil Service Islamic Society event for all civil servants Dusk til Dawn on 10 October and the Greater London Authority (GLA) Chinese New Year event held in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Soho held on 13 February as well as other London China events during this period. Information on the celebrations of Ramadan and Diwali was also circulated to staff within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

Firearm Offences

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms offences were recorded in each year since 1997 in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England; and how many led to convictions.

Hazel Blears: The number of offences involving firearms, excluding air weapons, recorded by police is given in the table.
	Convictions data for these offences are not collected centrally.
	
		Number of offences involving firearms (excluding air weapons) recorded by police, 1997 to 200102
		
			  Northamptonshire England 
		
		
			 1997 40 4,819 
			 199798 46 4,808 
			 199899(33) 54 5,109 
			 19992000 48 6,749 
			 200001 40 7,360 
			 200102(34) 55 9,917 
		
	
	(33) There was a change in the counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998.
	2 Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard in advance of national implementation.
	Note:
	The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002. Figures after this date are not directly comparable.
	
		Number of offences involving firearms (excluding air weapons) recorded by police, 200203 and 200304
		
			  Northamptonshire England 
		
		
			 200203 107 10,087 
			 200304 123 10,169 
		
	
	Note:
	The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002. Figures before this date are not directly comparable.

Fixed-penalty Notices

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed-penalty notices have been issued by (a) community support officers and (b) police officers for littering under paragraph 1(2)(d) of Schedule 4 to the Police Reform Act 2002 in each of the last four years, broken down by police authority.

Charles Clarke: From 1 November 2004 littering became an offence for which a Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) could be issued. The following table gives figures for the number of penalty notices issued for littering in 2004 by each police force, alongside provisional figures for January to July 2005.
	Community support officers have the power to issue fixed-penalty notices for littering on behalf of local authorities. Information on these fixed-penalty notices is held by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	
		Number of penalty notices for disorder issued for littering by police force area, England and Wales, 2004 and January to July 2005(34)
		
			 Police force area 2004(35) January to July 2005(34) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset  3 
			 Bedfordshire   
			 Cambridgeshire 2 2 
			 Cheshire  3 
			 City of London   
			 Cleveland  1 
			 Cumbria   
			 Derbyshire 1 4 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2 16 
			 Dorset  3 
			 Durham   
			 Essex 3 19 
			 Gloucestershire   
			 Greater Manchester 1 6 
			 Hampshire 7 18 
			 Hertfordshire  0 
			 Humberside 2 4 
			 Kent 1 7 
			 Lancashire 5 41 
			 Leicestershire  6 
			 Lincolnshire  5 
			 Merseyside 3 85 
			 Metropolitan 7 33 
			 Norfolk   
			 North Yorkshire   
			 Northamptonshire  7 
			 Northumbria 2 14 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 11 
			 South Yorkshire 3 19 
			 Staffordshire 1 5 
			 Suffolk  2 
			 Surrey   
			 Sussex   
			 Thames Valley 1 9 
			 Warwickshire 1 5 
			 West Mercia  5 
			 West Midlands  7 
			 West Yorkshire 3 14 
			 Wiltshire  1 
			
			 Dyfed Powys  3 
			 Gwent  1 
			 North Wales 3 21 
			 South Wales   
			
			 England and Wales 51 380 
		
	
	(34) Provisional data.
	(35) Littering was introduced as a PND offence in November 2004.
	Source:
	RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Internet (Voice Calls)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the (a) police and (b) intelligence agencies are able (i) to intercept and (ii) to collect traffic data on voice calls made over the internet.

Charles Clarke: The lawful basis for both intercepting and accessing traffic data on internet calls is contained in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, which is designed to be technology neutral. We do not comment on specific capability, or lack of capability, in these areas, where to do so would undermine national security and the prevention and detection of crime.

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) staffing level and (b) cost of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has been in each calendar year since its inception.

Charles Clarke: The Investigatory Powers Tribunal was established on 2 October 2000. The tribunal's staff in post in each calendar year since then has been:
	
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 President 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Vice President 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Registrar n/a 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Members 6 7 7 7 7 6 
			 Tribunal office administration staff 2 3 3 3 3 3 
		
	
	The running costs of the tribunal in each financial year since its inception have been:
	
		
			   
			  Running costs 
		
		
			 200001 55,470 
			 200102 86,620 
			 200203 114,540 
			 200304 104,440 
			 200405 173,280

Magistrates Courts

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of people appearing before each magistrates court were remanded to custody in each year from 2002 to 2005.

Fiona Mactaggart: The table shows the numbers and percentages of defendants proceeded against in England and Wales who were remanded in custody by magistrates courts, for the years 2002 to 2004.
	The remand data received by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is often incomplete and custodial remands are believed to be under-recorded. The figures felt to be most the most unreliable are not presented in the table. Due to the poor quality of the data we are unable to present figures for the individual magistrates courts. Figures for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	
		Numbers and percentages of defendants remanded in custody by magistrates courts in each police force area 200204England and Wales Defendants and percentages
		
			  2002 2003 
			  Remanded in custody(36) Prosecutions Remanded in custody as a percentage of prosecutions Remanded in custody(36) Prosecutions Remanded in custody as a percentage of prosecutions 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,859 55,037 5.2 2,626 62,282 4.2 
			 Bedfordshire 743 18,474 4.0 716 21,472 3.3 
			 Cambridgeshire 663 11,965 5.5 448 12,861 3.5 
			 Cheshire 1,233 35,380 3.5 1,169 33,519 3.5 
			 City of London 282 10,485 2.7 222 10,374 2.1 
			 Cleveland  27,465   26,112  
			 Cumbria  14,409   18,923  
			 Derbyshire 1,302 34,295 3.8 1,364 33,625 4.1 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,582 46,827 3.4 1,552 50,205 3.1 
			 Dorset 799 19,618 4.1 705 20,347 3.5 
			 Durham 1,079 17,860 6.0 872 16,377 5.3 
			 Essex 1,463 60,663 2.4 1,642 53,692 3.1 
			 Gloucestershire 311 17,836 1.7 383 15,964 2.4 
			 Greater Manchester  134,664   133,843  
			 Hampshire 2,330 58,479 4.0 2,433 57,475 4.2 
			 Hertfordshire  28,825   33,377  
			 Humberside 2,016 31,555 6.4 2,159 36,141 6.0 
			 Kent 1,078 44,454 2.4 1,334 53,523 2.5 
			 Lancashire 2,934 67,919 4.3 2,538 73,935 3.4 
			 Leicestershire 1,645 39,487 4.2 1,483 44,881 3.3 
			 Lincolnshire 877 26,993 3.2 687 28,967 2.4 
			 Merseyside  57,072   66,781  
			 Metropolitan Police 12,519 255,733 4.9 10,727 250,449 4.3 
			 Norfolk 435 21,802 2.0 455 25,329 1.8 
			 North Yorkshire 625 19,170 3.3 786 18,925 4.2 
			 Northamptonshire 397 14,534 2.7  25,116  
			 Northumbria 3,011 66,327 4.5 2,774 68,132 4.1 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,557 39,054 6.5 2,605 43,844 5.9 
			 South Yorkshire 1,340 53,832 2.5 1,267 47,830 2.6 
			 Staffordshire 606 26,136 2.3 512 29,160 1.8 
			 Suffolk 715 23,151 3.1 790 24,029 3.3 
			 Surrey  20,713   19,127  
			 Sussex 1,769 38,925 4.5 1,358 38,794 3.5 
			 Thames Valley 1,172 63,500 1.8  62,120  
			 Warwickshire 230 13,935 1.7 216 13,448 1.6 
			 West Mercia 1,298 35,708 3.6 1,318 33,573 3.9 
			 West Midlands 4,535 131,683 3.4 3,332 134,611 2.5 
			 West Yorkshire 8,857 93,022 9.5 7,410 98,844 7.5 
			 Wiltshire 659 21,376 3.1 469 23,848 2.0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 691 17,727 3.9 640 19,489 3.3 
			 Gwent 881 25,702 3.4 865 28,062 3.1 
			 North Wales  25,389   27,193  
			 South Wales 998 57,645 1.7 1,394 64,221 2.2 
		
	
	
		
			  2004 
			  Remanded in custody(36) Prosecutions Remanded in custody as a percentage of prosecutions 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,030 60,156 3.4 
			 Bedfordshire 660 20,774 3.2 
			 Cambridgeshire 382 13,233 2.9 
			 Cheshire 1,068 35,759 3.0 
			 City of London 427 11,526 3.7 
			 Cleveland  26,322  
			 Cumbria  19,151  
			 Derbyshire 1,106 33,004 3.4 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,305 45,601 2.9 
			 Dorset 631 19,563 3.2 
			 Durham 559 14,466 3.9 
			 Essex 1,556 51,673 3.0 
			 Gloucestershire 401 15,605 2.6 
			 Greater Manchester  140,008  
			 Hampshire 2,097 56,548 3.7 
			 Hertfordshire 649 37,088 1.7 
			 Humberside 1,636 34,820 4.7 
			 Kent  54,819  
			 Lancashire 1,990 62,273 3.2 
			 Leicestershire 1,426 41,274 3.5 
			 Lincolnshire 706 28,997 2.4 
			 Merseyside  65,486  
			 Metropolitan Police 9,230 263,988 3.5 
			 Norfolk 292 23,685 1.2 
			 North Yorkshire 310 20,067 1.5 
			 Northamptonshire  26,680  
			 Northumbria 2,203 65,456 3.4 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,111 42,238 5.0 
			 South Yorkshire 996 48,621 2.0 
			 Staffordshire 492 33,540 1.5 
			 Suffolk 707 27,161 2.6 
			 Surrey  20,104  
			 Sussex 1,311 37,823 3.5 
			 Thames Valley  66,201  
			 Warwickshire 206 17,077 1.2 
			 West Mercia 1,383 37,796 3.7 
			 West Midlands 3,177 136,365 2.3 
			 West Yorkshire 6,639 103,855 6.4 
			 Wiltshire 554 22,814 2.4 
			 Dyfed-Powys 519 16,012 3.2 
			 Gwent 933 25,147 3.7 
			 North Wales  28,993  
			 South Wales 2,537 70,834 3.6 
		
	
	'' reliable remand data not available
	(36) Includes those remanded for part of the time in custody and part on bail

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by his Department since August 2001; and if he will list (a) those produced following initial consultation with affected parties on the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) those that set out full commercial impacts, including on profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in Good Policy Making.

Charles Clarke: From August 2001 to the end of June 2005 the Department has produced 65 regulatory impact assessments (RIAs), published with legislation, broken down as follows: 2001 (August to December) 42002 82003 2004 92004 202005 (January to June) 24.
	The increase from 2004 is a reflection of the change to the RIA process whereby we now complete RIAs in relation to the public sector as well as the private, voluntary and charitable sectors. In preparing RIAs, we follow the Better Regulation Executive (Cabinet Office) guidance in assessing costs and benefits and the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the proposal. RIA requirements have developed over the years since its introduction in 1998 but now also cover a wider range of issues including competition and impact on small firms. This information is recorded in the individual RIAs and generally includes comments on the consultation process, both formal and informal. We also routinely consult publicly on our proposals, with an accompanying Partial RIA, and publish a summary of the views received and our response. The 65 individual RIAs are listed in a regular Command Paper House prepared by Cabinet Office and laid before the House. Copies, together with related consultation documents, can be accessed on the Home Office website.

Road Safety

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will break down the number of sentences passed on persons convicted of the offence of causing death by dangerous driving in the last five years by (a) type of sentence and (b) duration of custodial sentence.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 28 November 2005
	The information requested in shown in the following table.
	
		Persons sentenced for death by dangerous driving, 2000 to 2004England and Wales
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total sentenced 193 226 228 233 241 
			 Absolute discharge 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Conditional discharge 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Fine 4 4 6 1 3 
			 Community sentence 13 17 12 3 5 
			 Fully suspended sentence 8 10 11 11 11 
			 Immediate custody 166 193 199 217 221 
			 Otherwise dealt with 2 1 0 0 0 
			   
			 Average custodial sentence  length (months) 37.1 39 39.2 43 44.4 
		
	
	Source:
	RDSNOMS 29 November 2005

Schedule 1 Offenders

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of schedule 1 offenders who have attended a sex offenders treatment programme have subsequently reoffended; and what the rate of recidivism involving a similar offence of schedule 1 offenders who have not undergone a sex offenders treatment programme has been in each of the last two years.

Paul Goggins: The collection of reconviction data for sex offenders attending current treatment programmes is not yet available. Research on early versions of the current programmes found that 4.6 per cent. of offenders completing treatment on the Prison Service programme were reconvicted compared to 8.1 per cent. of sex offenders who did not attend the programme.
	The early version of one of the community-based sex offender treatment programmes found that 3.2 per cent. of sex offenders who completed treatment were reconvicted compared to 10.6 per cent. of sex offenders who did not attend treatment. Both prison and community treatment programmes have been revised since this research. However, it is too soon to be able to collect reconviction data over a meaningful period.

Artists' Resale Levy

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence led him to reconsider his Department's policy on excluding sales of below 3,000 euros from the artists' resale levy.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 1 December 2005
	No final decisions have been reached on the implementation of artist's resale right. We have consulted extensively with all interested parties and have met representatives from the art trade and artists. We have also commissioned and received independent evidence since the European Directive was originally negotiated.
	The Government's decision will be based on ensuring the continuing success of the British art market and supporting British artists. We will announce a decision in this House in the very near future.

Energy Review

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who will chair the Energy Review; when it will deliver its preliminary findings; whether they will be published; when he expects it will be completed; and when he expects its findings to be made public.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 2 December 2005
	I will lead the Energy Review.
	The Review will report to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in early summer. Details of the arrangements for the publication of the findings of the Review will be made available at that time.

Energy Supplies (Wales)

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the potential for renewable energy to meet energy demand in Wales over the next (a) five, (b) 10, (c) 20 and (d) 50 years; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government have a target of 10 per cent. of electricity coming from Renewable Obligation eligible sources of renewable energy by 2010, with an aspiration to double that by 2020.
	The Department has made no assessment of the potential for renewable energy to meet energy demand by region. However, the Welsh Assembly Government have recently published Technical Advice Note 8:M (Tan 8) Planning for Renewable Energy, and is consulting on Route Map to a clean, low carbon and more competitive energy future for Wales. Copies are available from their website http://www.wales.gov.uk

Nuclear Power

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the (a) modification and (b) upgrading of nuclear power stations requires a planning application to be submitted.

Malcolm Wicks: Depending on the nature of the change, planning permission may be required.

Patent Office

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the next quinquennial review of the Patent Office will take place.

Alan Johnson: A recommendation of Better Government ServicesExecutive Agencies in the 21st Century published by the Prime Minister's Office of Public Services Reform in July 2002 was that the central programme of quinquennial reviews of agencies such as the Patent Office, was abolished and replaced by business reviews of the end-to-end process in achieving specific outcomes. The methodology for such reviews and the cycle of them is integrated with the departments' business planning process and specific priorities for review agreed as part of Spending Review decisions.
	A methodology has been adopted whereby the Patent Office Business Plan is agreed each year with the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure its objectives match departmental objectives and plans.

Small Business Service

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding was made available to companies by the Small Business Service in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: The total programme expenditure for the Small Business Service, as reported in its Annual Report and Agency Accounts, was:
	
		
			   million 
			  Amount 
		
		
			 200203 357 
			 200304 378 
			 200405 386

Private Finance Projects

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2005, Official Report, column 583W, to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond), on private finance projects, what the (a) capital value and (b) total value is of the Royal Parks Agency's private finance initiative contract for Inn on the Park at St. James'; and what percentage of the contract is attributable to capital value.

David Lammy: The Royal Parks Agency's contract with the catering concessionaire who runs the Inn the Park restaurant at St. James's Park is, according to HM Treasury guidelines, more properly classified as a public-private partnership than a private finance initiative.
	The capital value of the investment made by the concessionaire to fit out the restaurant was 718,755. The Royal Parks invested 3,146,231 in the project. The total value of the agency's contract with the concessionaire includes an annual licence fee to the agency, which is set at a percentage of the restaurant's annual turnover.
	The value of the licence fee and the percentage rate at which it is set are both matters of commercial confidentiality.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost has been of VisitBritain's Britain Welcomes China initiative.

Tessa Jowell: The cost to VisitBritain of the Britain Welcomes China campaign was 49,500. A further 16,500 was raised from VisitBritain's private sector partners. The campaign is part of broader work to ensure that Britain's tourism industry makes the most of this emerging market, which is increasingly important to the whole of the British economy. In 2004, UK exports of goods and services to China amounted to 3.4 billion, a rise of 55 per cent. over the figure for 2002.

Wembley Project

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress of the Wembley project.

Richard Caborn: We have been given assurances that the new Wembley Stadium will be completed in the spring of 2006.
	The aim of both the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. is to hold the 2006 Cup Final at Wembley.
	This is an extremely complex project that will ensure that Wembley remains one of the world's great sporting venues and a fitting stadium for football in the 21st century.

Airspace (Extraordinary Rendition)

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether UK Government officials have discussed with the US Administration the use of EU airspace for the purpose of the extraordinary rendition of those accused of terrorist activities since 11 September 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We raise a range of issues with the United States Administration on a regular basis. The Government are aware of media allegations about extraordinary rendition operations allegedly conducted by the US authorities, and my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, has written to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on behalf of EU Partners.

British Embassy (Moscow)

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of running the British embassy in Moscow in each year since 2002.

Douglas Alexander: From the budget devolved annually to the British embassy in Moscow, the following has been spent on its running costs during each financial year (FY) since 2002:
	
		
			   
			 Financial year Amount 
		
		
			 200203 4,908,161.45 
			 200304 4,542,097.90 
			 200405 4,213,081.25

Departmental Tendering Policy

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on including (a) ethical and (b) environmental factors in tenders for services.

Ian Pearson: Tendering procedures for the award of contracts by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office adhere to strict guidelines embodying not only the EU procurement directives and UK legislation, but also the Department's own code of ethics. Robust measures for the evaluation process are in place which ensure not only the equal treatment of all tenders, but also the transparency and impartiality of the process.
	Specific environmental factors can be a criterion and this is considered on a case-by-case basis. However, the Department requires as a minimum that all services are provided in accordance with the Department's environmental policy, which is to conserve energy, water and other resources, reduce waste and phase out the use of ozone depleting substances and minimise the release of greenhouse gases, volatile organic compounds and other substances damaging to health and the environment. All written work, including reports, in connection with the contract shall, unless otherwise specified, be produced on recycled paper containing at least 80 per cent. post consumer waste and used on both sides where appropriate.

Greek Cypriot Community

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Minister for Europe last received a request for a meeting with the Greek Cypriot community in the United Kingdom; what his reply was; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Greek Cypriot community invited me to attend a dinner on 8 November and requested a meeting. My reply expressed my regret that I was unable to attend the dinner and meet with them at that time. I am, of course, willing to consider future requests for meetings.

Iraq

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many military missions over Iraq have been flown by US aircraft based on Diego Garcia since March 2003; and what types of missions have been flown.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 28 November 2005
	I have been asked to reply.
	Information relating to military missions over Iraq from US aircraft based on Diego Garcia during the combat phase of Operation telic in March and April 2003 is not held centrally by the Ministry of Defence or any other Government Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, we can confirm that no US aircraft based at Diego Garcia has been involved in operations over Iraq since the end of April 2003.

Maladministration

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many payments for maladministration have been made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-departmental public bodies and (d) other bodies for which his Department has responsibility in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: It is the policy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies and, where appropriate, its sponsored organisations to make financial redress in accordance with the guidance set out in chapter 18.7 and annexes 18.1 and 18.2 of Government Accounting. The guidance can be accessed at:
	http://www.government-accounting.gov.uk/current/content/ga_18_7.htm
	The information the hon. Member requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Department 7 14 10 6 4 
			 Agencies 0 0 0 0 0 
			 NDPBs 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bodies sponsored by  Department 0 0 0 0 0

Army Vehicle Repairs

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Warrior and (b) CVR(T) vehicles have undergone fourth line maintenance in the past 10 years; and to which Army Base Repair Organisation site they were despatched.

Adam Ingram: All level 4 activity for Warrior and CVRT has historically been undertaken at ABRO Donnington. ABRO's records only go back as far as 19992000 and the output since then is as follows:
	
		
			  Warrior CVRT 
		
		
			 199900 53 134 
			 200001 91 158 
			 200102 97 161 
			 200203 88 149 
			 200304 79 133 
			 200405 77 132

Departmental Finance

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Winter Supplementary Estimates 200506 (HC 672), if he will break down the (a) current and (b) revised Request for Resources 1 provision for each of his Department's top level budget holders by (i) direct resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL), (ii) indirect resource DEL and (iii) capital DEL.

John Reid: The main estimates split between direct and indirect resources for each top level budget holder (TLB) is set out in table 1 as follows:
	
		Table 1: Composition of direct and indirect DEL by TLB at main estimates 200506 000
		
			 TLB Direct RDEL Indirect RDEL Total 
		
		
			 Commander-in-Chief Fleet 1,395,994 2,128,000 3,523,994 
			 General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland) 481,825 127,662 609,487 
			 Commander-in-Chief of Land Command 4,184,573 1,435,867 5,620,440 
			 Commander-in-Chief Strike Command 1,890,373 1,781,751 3,672,124 
			 Chief of Joint Operations 386,115 158,473 544,588 
			 Chief of Defence Logistics 3,803,680 3,766,363 7,570,043 
			 2nd Sea Lord/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command 645,497 82,976 728,473 
			 Adjutant General (Personnel and Training Command) 1,570,024 170,730 1,740,754 
			 Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command 751,006 159,998 911,004 
			 Central 2,060,284 256,119 2,316,403 
			 Defence Estates 827,602 146,808 974,410 
			 Defence Procurement Agency 1,626,315 836,916 2,463,231 
			 Corporate Science and Technology 507,943 (4,000) 503,943 
			 Total 20,131,231 11,047,663 31,178,894 
		
	
	The revised winter supplementary estimates split between direct and indirect resources for each top level budget holder (TLB) is set out in table 2 as follows:
	
		Table 2: Revised composition of direct and indirect DEL by TLB at winter supplementary estimates 200506 000
		
			 TLB Direct RDEL Indirect RDEL Total 
		
		
			 Commander-in-Chief Fleet 1,434,270 2,132,205 3,566,475 
			 General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland) 449,571 105,396 554,967 
			 Commander-in-Chief of Land Command 4,197,035 1,396,796 5,593,831 
			 Commander-in-Chief Strike Command 1,965,203 1,868,531 3,833,734 
			 Chief of Joint Operations 358,112 150,255 508,367 
			 Chief of Defence Logistics 4,439,816 3,202,526 7,642,342 
			 2nd Sea Lord/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command 659,936 85,207 745,143 
			 Adjutant General (Personnel and Training Command) 1,586,602 172,193 1,758,795 
			 Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command 759,547 170,708 930,255 
			 Central 1,876,209 543,373 2,419,582 
			 Defence Estates 890,353 135,091 1,025,444 
			 Defence Procurement Agency 1,808,613 739,582 2,548,195 
			 Corporate Science and Technology 506,288 (4,200) 502,088 
			 Total 20,931,555 10,697,663 31,629,218 
		
	
	The Capital DEL allocations by TLB are set out in the 200506 main estimates in column 7, pages 27677. The revised capital DEL allocations by TLB are set out in column 7, page 207 of the Part 11: Revised subhead detail including additional provision section of the winter supplementary estimates.

Sugar Beet Farmers

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet a delegation of Shrewsbury sugar beet farmers at No. 10 Downing Street to discuss their concerns about the proposed EU sugar regime changes.

Tony Blair: I have no current plans to do so. However, my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Bach) has met representatives from the National Farmers Union and other interested parties on this issue, and would be happy to meet such a delegation from Shrewsbury.

Terrorism

Grant Shapps: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 298 to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkstone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on terrorism, what estimate he has made of the number of police officers required to analyse the data contained on one 20.4 gigabyte hard drive within 90 days.

Tony Blair: A decision on the number of police officers deployed to focus on a particular area of an investigation, such as analysing data, is the responsibility of the chief constable of the force concerned.

Uzbekistan

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the circumstances were of the termination of aid projects in Uzbekistan in 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Immediately after the events in Andijan in May 2005, DFID suspended, and subsequently terminated, its support to a poverty statistics project being implemented jointly with the World Bank, which involved close co-operation with the central Government. DFID has since decided to end its bilateral programme with effect from March 2006 when our remaining bilateral project-working with the United Nations Development Programme and local government on a cross-border sustainable livelihoods programme with Tajikistan-comes to an end. Given the policies of the Uzbek government the potential impact on poverty reduction of our small bilateral programme is very limited.
	We will continue to support the work of multilateral agencies in Uzbekistan, particularly the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The EBRD has agreed a new country strategy, limiting its assistance to the private sector. The World Bank and the ADB are in the process of revising their strategies. We are keeping closely in touch with them.
	DFID's regional HIV/AIDS programme in Central Asia, working with the World Bank and other partners and based in the Kyrgyz Republic, will include a component in Uzbekistan, managed by a non-government agency. The programme has just begun, in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and will run to 2008.

Benefits Office Closures

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many crisis loans were issued in (a) Vale of Clwyd constituency and (b) Denbighshire in each week of (i) the six-month period prior to the closure of the Rhyl Benefits Office and (ii) the period since closure.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following table.
	
		Crisis loan initial awards made in Wrexham and North Wales Coast Jobcentre Plus district for each month from April 2005
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 April 516 
			 May 461 
			 June 504 
			 July 479 
			 August 485 
			 September 652 
			 October 612 
			 November 741 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Rhyl Social Security Office closed on 21 October 2005, but social fund applications were no longer processed there after 31 July 2005.
	2. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency or local authority, but only by Jobcentre Plus district.
	3. Vale of Clwyd parliamentary constituency and Denbighshire local authority are in Wrexham and North Wales Jobcentre Plus district.
	4. Data is not available by week, but only by month.
	5. Initial awards do not include awards made after review.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Child Support Agency staff have been working for the Agency for (a) less than one year and (b) less than two years; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 5 December 2005
	In reply to your Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of state promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Child Support Agency staff have been working for the Agency for (a) less than one year and (b) less than two years; and if he will make a statement.
	a) 8.16% of Child Support Agency staff (821.73 full-time equivalent) have been working for the Agency for less than one year.
	b) 14.19% of Child Support Agency staff (1429.24 full-time equivalent) have been working for the Agency for less than 2 years.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Community Employment and Social Solidarity Programme

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, columns 186768W, on the Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity, what the budget allocation has been for the programme; and if he will place in the Library copies of publications arising from the programme.

James Plaskitt: Member states have not discussed the programme budget pending settlement of the Financial Perspective, the new EU-wide budget.
	The Decision to establish the programme, including its eventual budget allocation, is subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The European Commission will publish annual activity reports, plus mid-term and ex-post evaluations of programme spending, outcomes and added value. Where appropriate these will be deposited for further consideration by the scrutiny Committees. Deposited documents and their associated explanatory memoranda provided by the Government are made available to the House Library.

Jobcentre Benefit Claims

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the performance of the new case management system for Jobcentre benefit claims.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 5 December 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the performance of the Customer Management System (CMS) for Jobcentre Plus benefit claims. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Since 2003 Jobcentre Plus has been introducing a new process for taking claims for benefit, supported by CMS. Information to support claims for benefit is gathered from customers through Contact Centres and recorded in CMS, before being transferred, electronically for Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance, to benefit processing IT systems.
	When the system was first introduced, we experienced some difficulties with system performance and reliability. Following a series of performance releases designed to tackle these problems, the computer system now performs to agreed service levels. Since February 2005, there has only been one occasion where a CMS failure has affected all offices and made it necessary to invoke business continuity procedures.
	We have, however, experienced some difficulties in call handling in some of our Contact Centres. Some of our customers have found it difficult to get through on the telephone, and we have had to introduce clerical contingency procedures in a number of sites in order to maintain customer service. This has not been caused by any failure on the part of the computer system itself, but relates to the administrative processes that have been introduced alongside the new computer system.
	Since introducing a number of temporary adjustments to these processes and taking urgent measures to recruit and train staff, there have been encouraging signs of recovery in our call handling. We are keeping the position under review on a site-by-site basis and each site has a plan for returning to the full process, supported by CMS, as quickly as possible.
	I hope this reply has been helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of Jobcentre Plus CMS2 enabled contact centres have been unable to process cases on CMS2 in each of the last 24 months; what the average time taken to start payments (a) from CMS2 contact centres and (b) nationally was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 5 December 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how many CMS2 contact centres have been unable to process cases on CMS2 in each of the last 24 months and the average time taken to start payments from CMS2 contact centres and nationally. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	In answering the first part of your question, there are two circumstances where claims would not be processed through CMS:
	1. in the event of a full CMS failure, contingency processes to issue clerical claim forms would be invoked. Information on this has only been recorded from February 2005. There has only been one single day instance between February 2005 and October 2005 where this affected all contact centres; and
	2. when a business decision is taken to ensure that customer service is maintained; for example, a decision to introduce temporary process adjustments. Across all 22 CMS contact centres this happened in:
	August 2005 in 3 contact centres;
	September 2005 in 5 contact centres; and
	October 2005 in 9 contact centres.
	Turning to the second part of your question about the average time to start payments from CMS2 contact centres and nationally, Jobcentre Plus keeps statistics about the number of claims cleared and how long it takes. The statistics only show where the claim was processed, not where it originated so it is not possible to differentiate between claims that have been initiated through CMS2 enabled contact centres and existing service outlets. This means we cannot provide the specific information you have requested.
	I can say, however, that in September, Income Support claims were cleared in an average of 10.8 days against a standard of 12 days, Incapacity Benefit claims were cleared in an average of 15.2 days against a standard of 17 days and Jobseeker's Allowance claims were cleared in an average of 13.5 days against a standard of 12 days.
	I hope this is helpful.

Means-tested Benefits

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the value of unclaimed means tested benefits funded by his Department in (a) each region of the UK and (b) each county within Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by type of benefit.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.
	Estimates of the value of the main income-related benefits unclaimed, that cover income support, minimum income guarantee and income-based jobseeker's allowance, as well as local authority administered housing benefit and council tax benefit, are available on a national basis. Estimates cannot be reliably disaggregated to lower geographies. The latest and previous years' national estimates can be found in the DWP report series entitled: Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up; copies of which are available in the Library.

Pensioners

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners in Wales receive less than 109 in total for state pensions and benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 28 November 2005
	The information in the following table shows those pensioners in Wales with a total weekly benefit income, including the state pension but excluding all private income, that is less than the standard minimum guarantee in pension credit for singles and couples.
	
		
			  Couples Singles All 
		
		
			 Number of pensioner units 80,000 100,000 170,000 
			 Percentage of family type 50 43 45 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The total weekly benefit income includes pension credit but not income from private pensions.
	2. Data is taken from the Family Resources Survey for years: 200102; 200203; and 200304. The Family Resources Survey is based on around 20,000 households, therefore there is a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Figures are provided using a three-year rolled average as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes.
	4. The standard minimum guarantee in pension credit is equal to 109.45 per week for single pensioners and 167.05 for couples deflated to the appropriate price level for each year of data.
	5. Pensioner couples are where the head of the household is above state pension age.
	6. Number of pensioner units are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey

Pensioners

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Beverley and Holderness are entitled to the basic state pension.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available. However, as at 31 March 2005, there were 20,600 people in the Beverley and Holderness parliamentary constituency in receipt of a basic state pension.
	Notes
	1. Data is taken from 5 per cent. sample therefore figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. They are also adjusted to be consistent with the overall caseload from the WPLS. 2. Figure is rounded to the nearest 100. 3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.
	Source
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) 100 per cent. data and PSCS 5 per cent. samples.

Pensions

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the basic state pension was in 1997.

Stephen Timms: The basic state pension was 62.45 per week in April 1997. It is now 82.05 per week.

Departmental Estate

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which buildings and sites used by her Department and related agencies (a) have ceased to be used in the last year and (b) will be closed under current plans for relocation.

Harriet Harman: My Department has:
	(a) Ceased to use: Stewart House, Kingsway; 6th8th floors, Southside, London SW1E; and Bradford Combined Court in the past year.
	(b) Southside, London SW1E 1st4th floors will be closed on 24 December 2005 at the end of the lease term.
	Further offices will be closed at the end of their lease terms, after the refurbishment of Queen Anne's Gate, as part of the wider rationalisation of the DCA estate.

Kettering Magistrates Court

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many warrants were issued from Kettering magistrates court for the arrest of non-attendees in each year since 1997.

Harriet Harman: Figures for failure to appear warrants are only available for Kettering magistrates court from 2003. The figures to date for police failure to appear warrants are (a) 345 for 2003 (b) 311 for 2004 and (c) 162 1 for 2005.
	1 Figure up to 29 November 2005.

Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many solicitors have been referred by the Law Society to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in the last three years for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The Law Society has provided information on the total number of referrals to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for the last three years. The data are set out in the following:
	
		
			  2003 2004 2005(40) 
		
		
			 Decision
			 Strike off 57 51 52 
			 Suspend 41 38 37 
			 Fine 73 68 48 
			 Other Decision(41) 48 55 39 
			 Total number of referrals 219 212 176 
		
	
	(40) To 31 October 2005.
	(41) Other decisions include: appeals allowed, appeals dismissed, costs only with no penalty being imposed except to pay costs of the application to the tribunal, no order was imposed, a minor reprimand being given and withdrawal of the application.

Hospital Finances

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date her Department instructed strategic health authorities to review the financial stability of every hospital; and what deadline she has set to receive responses.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 21 November 2005
	I would like to refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health on 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 5WS.

Maternity Care

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to improve the range of choices available to women who wish to receive one-to-one maternity care.

Liam Byrne: The maternity standard of the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services requires maternity care providers and primary care trusts to ensure that the range of ante-natal, birth and post-birth care services available locally constitutes real choice for women including the offer of support from a named midwife throughout pregnancy. It also advocates that all women are able to contact a midwife day or night at any stage in pregnancy if they have concerns.
	In its manifesto commitment, the Government made a commitment that
	by 2009 all women will have choice over where and how they have their baby and what pain relief to use. We want every woman to be supported by the same midwife throughout her pregnancy. Support will be linked closely to other services that will be provided in Children's Centre.
	We have put in place a concentrated work programme to support implementation of the both the manifesto commitment and the maternity standard.

Patient Advice and Liaison Services

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the (a) quality, (b) consistency and (c) impact on equity of access to treatment for patients of the service provided by patient care advisers; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Evaluations of the two largest choice pilots recognised the importance of patient care advisers (PCAs) to support and advise patients through choice and ensure equitable access. These showed that patients appreciated the role of PCAs, with over 93 per cent. of patients in London rating the PCAs7 quality of service as good, very good, or excellent. In addition, in London the evaluation found that the equity of access to choice was achieved in particular by providing support through PCAs to patients who needed help finding their way through the system.

Quality and Outcomes Framework

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the outcome of the review of the quality and outcomes framework will allow GPs to have their performance measured against specific local indicators.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 November 2005
	The quality and outcomes framework is a national agreement as part of the general medical services contract, but primary care trusts are able to make local agreements with practices, in addition to those contained in the framework.

Community Relations

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the timetable is for the re-launch and implementation of the shared future strategy for improving community relations in Northern Ireland; and what resources have been allocated to this strategy in 200607.

Angela Smith: The plan is to re-launch the Shared Future policy and strategic framework before March 2006. As part of the re-launch we will set out in a Triennial Action plan the key actions to meet the policy objectives.
	At its core the policy is about promoting sharing over separation. Its aim is to establish over time a normal, civic society, in which all individuals are considered as equals, where differences are resolved through dialogue in the public sphere, and where all people are treated impartially.
	The Triennial Action plan will aim to ensure, over time, that all expenditure is designed to promote sharing over separation. In the interim, and in the run up to the comprehensive spending review, the planned expenditure in 200607 on community relations/good relations activities across departments, which is about 15 million, will be specifically used to support the objectives of a shared future.

Cyclists

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cyclists have been (a) charged and (b) convicted in Northern Ireland of neglect of traffic regulations in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is provided in the following tables.
	Table 1 provides details of how many cyclists were reported for prosecution in Northern Ireland during the period 1 April 2004 to 31 October 2005 (1 April 2004 being the earliest date for which this data is available).
	Table 2 provides figures for the number of cyclists convicted in Northern Ireland of neglect of traffic regulations from 19992003 (the most recent year for which statistics are available).
	
		Table 1
		
			  Number recorded 
		
		
			 1 April 200431 March 2005 71 
			 1 April 200531 October 2005 20 
		
	
	
		Table 2(44)
		
			  Number of convictions 
		
		
			 1999 5 
			 2000 2 
			 2001 3 
			 2002 5 
			 2003 2 
			 Total 17 
		
	
	(44) Convictions in table 2 were for the specific offences of 'cycling without due care and attention', 'cycling without reasonable consideration', 'cycling when unfit through drink or drugs', 'no lights on pedal cycle' and 'failing to wear protective headgear'.

Electrical Apprenticeships

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the reduced availability of electrical installation modern apprenticeships in Derry and the North West of Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: There has been an overall reduction in the number of entrants to the electrical installation Jobskills modern apprenticeship over the past number of years, in particular in the North West of Northern Ireland. While there has been no change in the contract delivery arrangements, it is recognised that there has been a shift in the economic climate which has contributed to a reduction in the overall employer base in the North West. However, I will wish to enquire further and will write to the hon. Gentleman.

Energy Efficiency

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what energy efficiency measures have been taken by Government Department offices in Northern Ireland in 2005.

Angela Smith: Northern Ireland Departments have adopted the targets for improvements in energy performance contained in the 2003 Government White Paper Our energy futurecreating a low carbon economy. Departments are accommodated in buildings provided and managed by the Department of Finance and Personnel, which conducts a continuous programme of improvements of building energy performance in pursuit of the aforementioned targets.
	Since 2003, within the office estate planned actions have included conducting surveys to identify and implement cost-effective energy conservation measures; converting suitable buildings from oil or electric heating to natural gas; and purchasing green electricity, where this represents value for money. Similar actions have been taken in the specialised buildings within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
	The Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) also manages the Public Sector Energy Campaign, monitoring energy use in all public buildings, and providing energy performance returns to Departments for attention. DFP also manages the Central Energy Efficiency Fund which provides financial support for the introduction of cost-effective measures for reducing carbon emissions from public buildings.
	Official vehicle fleets are now generally diesel fuelled, and the official car pool has purchased two petrol/electric hybrid cars. Local plans are also in place covering car travel.

Medicine (Imports and Exports)

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much medicine was (a) imported and (b) exported by Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The value and weight of the medicine that was (a) imported and (b) exported by Northern Ireland in each of the last three years is included in the following table.
	
		Imports and exports of medicines(47)(48), by Northern Ireland(49)
		
			  Value (000) Weight (Kg 000) 
		
		
			 Exports   
			 2002 73,461 4,196 
			 2003 97,834 13,907 
			 2004 99,428 9,056 
			
			 Imports   
			 2002 13,253 456 
			 2003 11,985 521 
			 2004 15,566 556 
		
	
	(47) Figures are combined EU and non-EU.
	(48) Trade included covers pharmaceutical products classified as Medicaments (CN4 3003 and CN3004).
	(49) Figures refer to trade imported into or exported from any part of the UK by traders registered to addresses in Northern Ireland.
	Source:
	Regional Trade Statistics, HM Revenue and Customs

Military Bases

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to the public purse of care and maintenance for the (a) Ebrington and (b) Fort George military bases in Londonderry has been since the Army handed over both sites to ILEX.

Angela Smith: Since taking ownership of the Ebrington and Fort George sites in Londonderry the total cost to the public purse of care and maintenance has been 968,183 and nil respectively.

Rates Revaluation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  whether the Government expects that pensioners participating in a deferred rates payment system would have a charge placed on their home; and how such a charge would be prioritised on the death of the pensioner relative to their other liabilities;
	(2)  whether the Government expects that pensioners participating in a deferred rates payment system would pay interest on the deferred payment;
	(3)  if he will publish the preliminary analysis that the Government has drafted on how a deferred payment scheme for pensioners would operate in relation to the draft Rates (Capital Values, etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005.

Angela Smith: The Government has no plans to introduce a rates deferment scheme for people of pension age. No analysis has therefore been carried out on how such a scheme would operate. It is however intended to make provision in primary legislation that would allow a future executive to introduce a deferment scheme.

Tourism

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to promote (a) Lough Neagh, (b) the annual Sham Fight in Scarva, (c) the annual Twelfth of July Demonstrations in Scarva, (d) the site of the Battle of Diamond at Loughgall, (e) the annual demonstrations by the Royal Black Institution and (f) the annual Apprentice Boys of Derry parades as major tourist attractions.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board's (NITB) Strategic Framework for Action 200407 document has identified the regions, signature projects and winning themes on which NITB will focus over this period.
	With regard to the specific areas referred to:
	Lough Neagh
	The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) currently has a seat on the Lough Neagh Partnership Board and had been represented on the Lough Neagh and Lower Bann Advisory Board until 2005. Also in March 2005, the NITB contributed 4,000 to the Lough Neagh Partnership Board to assist with a marketing strategy for the Lough.
	Sham Fight in Scarva
	The Sham fight at Scarva while not featured directly on the NITB Discover Northern Ireland website, has links through the Twelfth of July Celebrations (www.grandorange.org.uk) and Scarva Visitors Centre (www.banbridge.com).
	Annual 12th July Demonstrations
	The NITB has promoted the Orange order Annual 12th July Parades through a number of media channels, including the 'Northern Ireland Visitor Guide 2005/06' and, 'Events in Northern Ireland', and on its Discover Northern Ireland website.
	The Battle of the Diamond, Loughgall
	This project lies outside the core priorities of the Strategic Framework for Action 200407 and as such the NITB has no further plans for this site. However, the Dan Winter Cottage in Loughgall is listed on the NITB website www.discovernorthernireland.com and the 'Stop and Visit Guide' on an annual basis.
	Royal Black Institution
	The NITB has not promoted any events from this organisation to date. Apprentice Boys
	Over the past five years the NITB has offered the Apprentice Boys 28,300 in selective financial assistance through the Events Marketing Support Scheme and paid out 25,000 in relation to the same. In addition to the Events Marketing Support Scheme money, the NITB board agreed to make an additional payment of 20,000 in 200203 towards the cost associated with the festival. This was in recognition of the potential benefits for tourism which may have arisen from the continued success and development of the event. The NITB has also listed the event in the 'Events in Northern Ireland' guide for the past five years and the Maiden City Festival was listed in the events section of the Discover Northern Ireland website from 29 November 2004 to 14 August 2005.

Vehicle Licences and Insurance

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many drivers have been convicted of driving without (a) road tax licence and (b) valid car insurance in each district command unit in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The information is as follows.
	(a) Road tax licence
	Figures in table 1 are provided by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI) and cover the financial years 200001 to 200405. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by district command unit, therefore, Northern Ireland totals are included.
	Those detected for vehicle excise duty offences are usually offered an out-of-court settlement. Only if they ignore the penalty or refuse to pay are they prosecuted in court. The figures for those convicted or who paid out-of-court settlements in the last five years are:
	
		Table 1: Number of convictions or those who paid out-of-court settlements 200001 to 200405
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200001 15,966 
			 200102 15,428 
			 200203 13,932 
			 200304 10,876 
			 200405 8,796 
		
	
	Note:
	Of the 64,998 cases actioned over the last five years 86 per cent. resulted in out-of-court settlements and 14 per cent. were prosecuted through the courts.
	Source:
	Enforcement Section (DVLNI)
	(b) Valid car insurance
	The statistics included within table 2 cover the calendar years 2000 to 2003 and are based on the PSNI district command unit in which an offender's address falls. Data for 2004 will become available in early 2006. Due to the lack of comparability of 1999 data (based on crimes reported to 12 police divisions) figures for that year have not been included.
	
		Table 2: Persons convicted for driving without insurance by PSNI district command unit 200003(50)(51)
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Antrim 51 74 91 87 
			 Ards 101 115 134 111 
			 Armagh 74 99 123 147 
			 Banbridge 34 51 64 65 
			 Belfast East 85 112 178 143 
			 Belfast North 178 264 294 290 
			 Belfast South 79 112 117 103 
			 Belfast West 101 149 272 167 
			 Ballymena 62 80 140 81 
			 Ballymoney 25 46 51 57 
			 Carrickfergus 50 68 74 76 
			 Coleraine 64 80 121 87 
			 Cookstown 40 70 79 58 
			 Craigavon 119 133 218 263 
			 Castlereagh 58 62 91 70 
			 Dungannon 82 145 132 105 
			 Down 82 125 130 120 
			 Fermanagh 97 136 203 153 
			 Foyle 253 336 300 341 
			 Larne 53 57 85 53 
			 Limavady 53 59 77 83 
			 Lisburn 120 146 194 223 
			 Magherafelt 46 49 77 51 
			 Moyle 37 24 50 38 
			 Newtownabbey 71 105 123 125 
			 North Down 77 93 176 114 
			 Newry and Mourne 158 186 182 222 
			 Omagh 120 165 168 134 
			 Strabane 84 114 147 97 
			 Missing(52) 58 77 110 84 
			 Total 2,512 3,332 4,201 3,748 
		
	
	(50) Data are based on the district command unit in which an offender's address falls. The district command unit structure became operational in April 2001, however, for the purposes of comparability with later years, figures for 2000 and the first quarter of 2001 are also based on the 2001 DCU structure.
	(51) Includes offences of 'no insurance' and 'causing no insurance'.
	(52) Missing data relate to those offenders for which DCU information is not available.